Wasco school superintendent issues new guidelines

Students in the Wasco Union Elementary School District will begin the school year with distance learning only because Kern County is back on the governor’s watch list, Superintendent Kelly Richers says.

Richers said he had hoped the school would be able to include some in-person classes, but that under the watch schools, hair salons, in-dining restaurants and barbershops are restricted.

The earliest school could provide in-person learning is 14 days after being placed on the watch list, Richers said. He added that “there would not be time to prepare for in-school instruction” even if the county were released from the restrictions.

Until further notice, Richers said, the following will be in effect until further notice:

--Students will be taught remotely and teachers are not required to attend at the school site. They may attend at the school site under the following conditions:

--Unless alone in a room, all personnel must wear masks.

--Children or family members of certificated staff are not allowed on the closed campuses in teacher rooms. Children would report to the learning center under ASES supervision.

--No gatherings of teachers will be permitted on site without the express permission of the site administrator.

--Clerks or secretaries will keep a log of all rooms visited, including restrooms and workrooms, for cleaning every day.

Remote or personal meetings may be called on Fridays with 48-hour notification. These will be kept to a minimum but may be required for training or personal teacher assistance.

The situation will be revisited by October 2 to determine if the same status will be kept for the

second quarter

Sites will set up Chromebook distribution the week of August 3 to begin instruction August 10. Mr. Bowling will be sharing how attendance and grades should be recorded and Mr. Maberry will be determining how personnel not assigned to a specific classroom will be assisting.